DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Peter Young held his last "Brown Bag in the Boardroom with the Boss" meeting with staff yesterday, following his last Board of Land and Natural Resources meeting. Many wished him well with a spread of food and several leis, forcing Ellen Tong of the Hawaiian Audubon Society to push them out of his face so he could see.
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Young stays for DLNR transition
The ousted director is heading a committee to find his successor
In addition to heading a committee to find his successor, outgoing state Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Peter Young will work up to two months as a deputy for the department, he confirmed yesterday.
"The DLNR is important to me. I'm not going to abandon it," Young said.
After his directorship ends with the close of the Legislature Thursday, Young will work as a deputy director "to assure there's a smooth transition" to the next director, he said.
The Senate voted 15-8 Tuesday against Young serving another four years in the job, despite support from environmental and Hawaiian groups.
After a five-day confirmation hearing that included subpoenaed testimony, opposing senators admitted they had "no smoking gun" against Young, but concluded they were not satisfied with his management of the department.
Young's salary as a deputy director will be prorated from about $91,000, the top salary for the job position, he said. Young earned $98,838 a year as director, the Governor's Office said.
Lingle appointed 30 people yesterday to the DLNR interim director search committee, with Young as its leader. The group will accept resumes and nominations for candidates through May 28, a news release from the governor said.
At least half of those on the committee -- which includes DLNR and other state employees, environmental and Hawaiian group members, fishermen, hunters, business and agricultural representatives -- were on the record as Young supporters during his confirmation hearings.
"We'll be looking for someone who wants to move the governor's policies forward," Young said.
Cover letters and resumes of applicants should be directed to Young at peteryoung@ hawaii.gov or by fax, 587-0390. Young can be reached at 587-0401.
Names submitted to the search committee will also be considered to fill the DLNR deputy land director position, which Bob Masuda held for two years.
Masuda said he had told the governor of his wish to leave the position at or near the end of the legislative session some time ago. If Young had been reappointed, Masuda said he would have continued several more months to assist Young.
Young said he will not seek to continue as deputy beyond a transition period.